following their face-to-face with rice yesterday republican senators john mccain and lindsey graham and kelly ayotte announced they were more troubled than ever. >> i continue to be troubled by the fact that the u.n. ambassador decided to play what was essentially a political role at the height of a contentious presidential election campaign. >> eliot: but president obama stood up for rice today during his first post-election cabinet meeting when asked about the ambassador's reception on the hill. >> obama: sue an rice is extraordinary. couldn't be prouder of the job she's done at the usun. >> joining me now is pj crowley who served under both presidents clinton and obama. he's now a professor at george washington university. thanks for your wisdom. >> hi, eliot. >> eliot: the reception that ambassador rice is getting on the hill is almost unprecedented unprecedented. i don't remember an u.s. diplomat being roughed up this way, is there a historical metaphor for this? >> not recently. i think in terms of the senate interfering, if you want to say that, you have to go back to john tower